Rodriguez, Kevin A.

2007-66443 August 4, 2010 EE 21: Fundamentals of Electronics

JFET Transistor
diode, thus, there will be less charge carriers are present. It means to say that the strip of semiconductor material become less conductive due the electric field.

I. Transistor Structure

II. JFET Operation

(a) Fig 1.1 Junction Field-Effect Transistor (JFET). Boylestad, R.L. Electronic devices and circuit theory, 7th ed.

(b)

Fig 1.2 Structure of a JFET (a)N-channel (b)Pchannel. Cathey, J. Outline of Electronic Devices and Circuits, 2nd ed.

The structure of a JFET can be viewed, for example in Fig 1.1 which is a n-channel FET, as a ntype material with embedded p-type layer material. The n-type passes from top to bottom forming a channel. The n-type material has two terminals referred to as the Drain (D, top terminal) and Source (S, bottom terminal) while the two embedded p-type materials are connected together and referred to as Gate (G). To get the structure of a p-channel FET, a large p-type material in the middle with embedded n-type layer. Since, the source and the drain are connected in the ends of the n-type channel (considering Fig 1.1) and to the p-type is the gate; JFET has two p-n junctions under no bias conditions. A depletion layer is then formed, shown in the Fig 1.1 just like in

A. n-channel JFET; Value

Some Positive

Fig 1.3 JFET in the

This operation of a n-channel JFET transistor makes the device like a current source. It happens in a way that as you increase the potential difference between the drain and the source, the current within the channel between the two depletion layers will also increase and there will be an instance that the current flowing will become constant even if you further increase the potential. This current is called = the maximum drain current. And the voltage where the current start to become constant is the pinch-off voltage . The behavior of the current in the JFET as it depends to the voltage applied is shown in the graph below.

Fig 1.5 JFET in the

Fig 1.4 variation of

with respect to

Fig 1.6 Changes in the . C. p-channel devices

due to the applied

B. n-channel JFET; In a junction FET (JFET or JUGFET), the gate is a contact to a junction formed on the channel and usually reverse biased. The purpose of this kind of operation is to lower the pinch-off potential or the applied potential between the Drain and the Source to reach the saturation current. As shown in the Fig 1.6 how the change in the pinch-off voltage decrease as the potential difference between the source and the gate increases. Therefore, there will be less voltage applied in order to make the current reach its saturation point.

Fig 1.7 a p-channel JFET

P-channel JFET devices are constructed in a way that is said in the first part of the paper. Also, biases are also connected in reverse with the nchannel JFET as shown in Fig 1.7. In p-channel JFETs, there is an observable breakdown region (Fig 1.8). The current rise depends on the circuit it is connected to. To prevent the breakdown, the voltage applied must not exceed the maximum drain voltage as indicated in the devices specification sheet.

Transfer characteristics Transfer characteristics shows the relationship between , the input voltage between the gate and the source, since the voltage in between the drain and the source will be considered constant, and . An equation derived by William Bradford Shockley, known as Shockleys equation, given below,

Where

= the drain current = the maximum drain current = the gate-source bias = the pinch-off potential

shows this kind of relationship and this equation will help in solving problems regarding input and output in the JFET. Also, this equation is unaffected by how the JFET is used in the circuit. Fig 1.8 p-Channel JFET characteristics with IDSS = 6 mA and VP =6 V. III. Transistor Characteristics and Parameters Some comparisons on the parameters between BJT and JFET are listed below: IV. Transistor Parameters and Package Terminals To efficiently use the JFET device, some specifications by the manufacturers must be observed. And these are the following: 1. Maximum Ratings - maximum voltages between specific terminals, maximum current levels, and the maximum power dissipation level of the device 2. Electrical Characteristics 3. Case Construction and Terminal Identification 4. Operating Region References: Tennis, Caleb. Things You Should Know: Peek at Computer Electronics. Texas:The Pragmatic Programmers LLC, 2009. Boylestad, R.L. Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 7th ed. -:Prentice Hall,Cathey, J.J. Electronic Devices and Circuits, 2nd ed. New York:McGraw-Hill, 2002. Sinclair, I and Dunton, J.. Practical Electronics Handbook, 6th ed. New York:Elsevier Ltd., 2007

we can see that there is a corresponding BJT parameter for every JFET. Also, there is a different equation that will help solve some parameters of JFET device.